Start Over
by crestadeen
Summary: [MAJOR ENDGAME SPOILERS] With Vision gone and the compound completely destroyed, there is no home for Wanda to return to after the demise of Thanos. Feeling lonelier than ever and struggling to find a new purpose in her life, she joins Steve on his quest to return all of the Infinity Stones to their respective time lines.
1. Lost

"_You took everything from me."_

Wanda felt empty as she watched the floral wreath float over the calm water of the lake. Although she was surrounded by her friends, both old and new ones, she couldn't help but feeling extremely lonely. Because whilst Bruce's snap had restored all those who had vanished all these years ago, it hadn't brought Vision back.

She should've expected it. In the end, it had been Thanos himself who had killed him by ripping the Mind Stone from his head, not the snap itself. There was no way she was ever going to get him back. Her heart tightened within her chest, wailing from pain and heartache which she had been able to ignore up until now.

After Bruce's snap, Wanda had woken up where she had vanished – in the Wakandan woods. It had taken her a few moments to realize what had happened and before it could completely sink in, a portal had opened right in front of her, leading Wanda to the final battle.

There had hardly been time for her to completely digest what had just happened. All she knew was that she was angry. No, not angry, _furious_. And when she had finally set eyes on the titan, there had been nothing that could've hold back Wanda's wrath.

She had nearly torn him in half. She probably would've killed him, hadn't it been for the gunshots suddenly raining down from his ship. She would've ended him and avenged Vision.

But it hadn't been her who had stopped the mad titan. It had been Tony Stark. And now, with Thanos gone and the world safe and sound, there was nothing left to keep Wanda going. Nothing that kept her distracted from the horrible truth. While everyone was now reunited with their loved ones, she had nothing left.

No one to return to. No home to return to. The compound had been reduced to dust by Thanos' ship. It had been the only home Wanda had ever known. And now, that had been taken away from her too.

Her lower lip started to shake violently, while Wanda desperately tried to hold her tears back. Most people attending the funeral would probably think that she was crying for Tony, but that was not the case. Sure, she was sad to see Stark gone, but she also didn't want to shed tears during his funeral which weren't meant for him, but only for herself. She refused to be that selfish.

Trying to hold her tears back, Wanda balled her fists within the pockets of her black jacket. The wreath had already become a small dot in the distance, yet no one was moving. Losing Tony like that had hit the team deeply. Not that there still was a team. The Avengers had served their purpose. They weren't needed anymore.

Wanda wasn't sure what would happen next. Thanos was defeated and Stark was buried. There seemed to be nothing left to be done.

And that realization scared her more than she dared to admit.

* * *

Wanda, Sam, Bucky, Steve and Bruce were all gathered around a table which was bearing a coffer containing all of the Infinity Stones.

After the funeral, Wanda had decided to tag along with her former teammates once she found out that there was still some unfinished business concerning the stones. She didn't feel ready yet to figure out what to do with her life, so instead, she would do her best to help getting done whatever needed to get done.

Bruce had offered to let them stay at his home for the time being. Wanda had never felt as small as she did in Bruce's apartment, since nearly all of the furniture was adjusted to his extreme height and mass. She could barely take a seat at the kitchen table they were all sitting at, since it was nearly as tall as she was.

"So, what do we do with those now?"

Wanda was also eager to get an answer to the question Sam had just voiced. She watched Steve and Bruce intently, as they were the only people among them who were able to explain how they had acquired the stones in the first place.

"We return the stones," Bruce answered matter-of-factly.

Sam raised his brows. "Why the hell would we do that? That big purple bastard is gone. Universe is safe. End of story. Just lock them up somewhere where no one can get to them."

"It's not that simple, Sam," Steve said, looking more than defeated. Tony's death seemed to affect him more than Wanda had originally thought. It wasn't a good look on him. She had always thought of Steve as one of the most resilient persons she had ever met. He never stopped fighting, even if defeat seemed inevitable. But now, he just looked tired.

"I promised the Ancient One that we will return the stones to their respective timelines. And that's what we're going to do. Or, well, at least one of us." Bruce's eyes wandered from one of his friends to the other, apparently looking for volunteers.

Wanda didn't hesitate. "I'll go."

Instantly, all eyes were on her. Neither Sam, nor Bruce seemed very keen on the idea.

"You can't possibly go alone. You weren't there when we travelled back in time. You don't know what's waiting for you," Bruce said, seemingly concerned.

Wanda merely shrugged. "Well, then either you or Steve will have to come with me, since you already went back once."

Stunned silence filled the room. Apparently, no one had expected her to be so keen on throwing herself back into danger, but that didn't faze Wanda. All she wanted was to keep moving, because she knew that if she were to stand still, everything that happened to her these past few years would come crashing down. And that was what she wanted to avoid at all cost.

As the silence continued, she felt Steve's gaze resting on her. He probably was trying to come up with some strategy to talk her out of this, but Wanda had already made up her mind. No one would keep her from going on this mission.

Steve seemed to come to the same conclusion. "I'll go with her. I don't think a big green guy would be the best partner to have during a low-profile mission. No offence, Bruce."

"Don't worry about it," the big green guy chuckled, "Since we're done discussing that, I guess I better get working on a new time machine for you guys. Since... you know... Thanos kind of annihilated all the work we've put in before."

"How long do you think you need?" Wanda could tell that Steve was just as eager as her to get started on this mission. Probably for the same reasons she was.

"Not sure. Friday was able to secure most of Tony's plans, so maybe two or three weeks? Depends on how quickly I can get my hands on all the parts needed."

Steve nodded. "Just tell us what you need and we'll take care of the rest."

* * *

They didn't talk about much else after finishing up some further planning. Friday also had intel on most of the locations, or rather places in time, to which the surviving Avengers had travelled during their heist. The new challenge was to figure out how long the respective teams had stayed during those particular places in time, so that Steve and Wanda wouldn't cross paths with the past selves of their former teammates.

Steve and Bruce spent some time busying themselves with that task, whilst Wanda simply sat aside and listened to them. Most of the places they had travelled to, she had never been, which was good, since she had no desire to encounter her former self.

As it grew increasingly late, Wanda was less and less able to keep up with all the intel they were throwing around the room, which was why she eventually retired to her room. Or well, the guest room in Bruce's apartment which she had all to herself. Steve and Sam were sleeping on the couches in the living room, whilst Bucky had taken residence in a hotel near the apartment.

The Winter Soldier mostly kept to himself these days. He seemed to be just as lost as Wanda felt, but she knew he felt it in a different way. He never got to truly apologize to Stark for killing his parents. Wanda was just guessing that this was the reason Bucky's eyes mostly looked haunted, but she wasn't far from the truth.

Bucky Barnes' purpose in this world had been killing HYDRAs enemies up until a few years ago. After he had finally woken up from what felt like a century-long horrible fever dream, he had found himself trapped in a new kind of prison. Although he had kept trying to fight it, there was no escaping the damage HYDRA had done. So, he had put himself back to sleep to escape the claws of the dark beast raging inside of him.

Now, there was no freezing chamber for him to run back to. He finally had to face what he had done all these years. And he just didn't know how he could possibly hope to ever atone for all these sins. Wanda liked to think of herself as pretty miserable at the moment. But her misery was probably significantly smaller compared to that of Bucky Barnes.

After Wanda had made herself ready for bed and was just about to slip under the covers, a quiet knock sounded from her door. When she opened it, she found Steve standing in the hallway.

"Hey, can I come in?" His voice sounded just as tired as the dark circles beneath his eyes made him look. Wanda nodded slightly and stepped back to let him in. He quickly stepped over the threshold and Wanda gently closed the door behind him.

Steve crossed the room and came to a stop in front of the window overlooking some suburban part of Washington. He stayed quiet for a while. Wanda watched him from her place near the door. She wasn't sure what to do, so she stayed where she was and patiently waited for Steve to speak.

"Why do you want to come on this mission," Steve finally asked, still with his back turned towards her.

"Why not? It's not like I've got anything planned in the near future." She tried to keep her voice even. She didn't want him to notice how desperately she was trying to keep it together. She didn't want to give him a reason to not take her with him.

Steve chuckled. He didn't seem to believe her reasons. "You know, it's okay to grieve, Wanda. We all lost so much. Ignoring your pain will not make it better or go away. It will make it worse."

He finally faced her and Wanda was surprised to find his eyes full of raw emotion. He had never been the one to show his feelings like this.

Wanda wasn't sure what to say. He was onto her and lying would do her no good. "All my life, I have never been truly alone. After my parent's death, I had Pietro. After Pietro's death, I still had Vision. And now... I have nothing. No one. No purpose and no goal. Please, Steve. I need this mission. I need to keep moving on. I... I can't just stop. It will destroy me."

Tears were now running down her cheeks. It was only a matter of time until heavy sobs and her inevitable downfall would follow. Wanda was desperately holding on to the last string of composure she had left. And that string was the mission.

Steve was watching her. She could see the same kind of pain and struggle reflected within his own eyes. He knew what she was going through. All his life he had spent fighting. Now, there was only one more fight left. One more fight to keep his demons at bay. He needed to stay moving just as much as Wanda.

"Look, I understand. I understand, okay?" He moved closer to her. He even reached out a hand as if to pull her closer, but let it drop to his side. "Losing people sucks. Especially if everyone else got their loved ones back. But this is not something you should run from, Wanda. At least not forever."

She nodded and hastily wiped her tears away, but they still kept coming.

"Hey, look at me." Steve put both of his hands on her shoulders. Wanda forced herself to look up into his blue eyes. "We will both go on this mission, alright? But you have to promise me that after all of this is over, you will properly grieve. You will settle down and face all those things you've been running from all these years. Trust me, you'll feel much better afterwards. Is that a deal?"

Wanda hesitated for a moment. She wasn't sure if she would be ever ready to face her past without destroying her future, but she knew that she owed it to herself to try. She needed closure. Not right now, but soon it would be the only thing that would keep her safe from a lifetime spent in misery.

"It's a deal," Wanda said and meant it.


	2. The Mind Stone

"_I just feel you."_

Wanda couldn't remember the last time she got a proper night's sleep. A week had already passed since Tony's funeral, yet she found herself feeling more restless than ever. She had tried to settle down, to close her eyes and to simply fall asleep. But it wasn't as easy as she thought. Every night she would relive that horrible moment in which she had been forced to kill the one she loved.

They say some wounds will heal over time. But Wanda's were getting ripped open over and over again. It didn't make it any better that she would mostly wake up screaming because of those dreams. The first time it had happened, Sam and Steve had instantly barged into her room, probably thinking she was getting bloody murdered. But once they saw her tear-streaked face, they understood what was going on and their eyes would fill with pity.

Wanda didn't want their pity. Pity wouldn't bring back Vision. But there was something that might.

When she had first set eyes on the Mind Stone secured in the coffer with the other Infinity Stones, her heart had nearly leaped from her chest. It wasn't just that she had always felt a special connection to it ever since receiving her powers, but the Mind Stone had been a part of Vision. It had been his very soul. He had died because of its destruction.

And now, it was here, whole again. Maybe, just maybe, there was a chance that she could get him back. Wanda would certainly give herself enough credit to believe that she was powerful enough to bring Vision back to life. She had both pieces she needed. The stone and the body. Now all she needed was a plan of action.

Because one thing she knew for sure: There was no way Steve, Bruce or Sam were ever going to let her do this.

* * *

"You think she's gonna be alright?"

Steve and Sam were in the living room of Bruce's apartment, sitting on the couches while staring at the coffee table which was full of papers containing all their notes on the different stones and their locations. It was late. Very late. But just like Wanda, they both didn't seem to be able to catch a break.

"I think she's going through a lot. We all are." Steve's gaze wandered to the door leading to Wanda's room. Everything had remained quiet so far. He was secretly hoping that maybe today was the day she wasn't going to have one of those nightmares.

Sam shook his head. "No, I think she is going through something much worse."

"What are you saying," Steve asked, visibly confused.

"Just think about it, Steve. What would you do, if you had the power and tools to get the person you lost back... don't tell me you wouldn't at least try?"

Steve regarded his friend for a moment, before realizing what Sam was getting at. "You think she wants to resurrect Vision."

"I mean, technically she could. She has the stone and the body. If she isn't already planning it, then she has at least thought about the possibility," Sam retorted, trying to keep his voice as quiet as possible, so the Scarlet Witch wouldn't hear him from her room.

Steve crossed his arms and shook his head. "Wanda knows that the stones can't stay here. She wouldn't try to sabotage a mission this important."

"If we're talking about the Wanda before shit hit the fan, then yes, I would think so too. But I'm talking from experience here. And let me tell you something: Grief can bring out the worst in people."

* * *

Wanda had never expected to get Vision back. After the destruction of the compound, she was sure the only remaining part of him, his body, was lost. The Avengers who had survived the snap had placed it there for safekeeping after facing off Thanos in Wakanda.

So, it had gone down with the Avengers HQ when Thanos had reduced it to rubble. Yet, when people had started to search through the remains, they had found him. Whole and untouched. He was made out of Vibranium after all and Vibranium had only a small number of enemies.

Wanda had felt both pained and overjoyed at the same time. At last she had her Vision back, but not in the way she had imagined it. He didn't even look like himself anymore. His body had been drained of its vibrant colors and there was a huge hole in his head where the Mind Stone had been.

_If I put it back, he'll be whole again. All I've gotta do is take the stone. _

Countless thoughts like these were racing through her mind, when Wanda paid him a visit yet again. Since there was no compound anymore, she was using a storage unit to quarter Vision's remains for now. It wasn't the most ideal place for keeping a lifeless android, but there weren't many other options.

His grey body was lying in a big, coffin-like metal box. Wanda hated to see him like this. With his eyes, which were now a milky white color, open and his limbs draped like those of a dead person, it was almost impossible to believe that there was a chance she would be getting him back.

With shaking fingers, she reached for his hand. When normally warmth and familiarity would greet her, there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. Wanda didn't know what she had expected, but she had desperately hoped that there might still be... something. Something that would tell her that he was somehow still in there.

But it was too much to hope for. His only chance of revival was the Mind Stone. So, without missing another beat, Wanda went to get it.

* * *

The sky was already turning purple when Steve and Sam finally fell asleep. They hadn't even noticed Wanda sneaking out when she had gone to see Vision, so when she finally came back to the apartment they didn't even stir.

Immediately, Wanda went for the coffer containing the stones, which had been carelessly left on the kitchen table. She did her best to stay as quiet as she possibly could. She knew that if she were to wake either of her friends, they would not be happy about what she was about to do.

But that didn't stop her from silently flipping open the lid of the coffer and grabbing the yellow gem. Suddenly, power like she never knew surged through her veins. Any normal human being would've been too overwhelmed with holding an Infinity Stone, but not Wanda Maximoff.

A small smile spread on her lips, but quickly disappeared when she heard someone move behind her. She wasn't surprised to find Sam staring at her with knowing eyes when she turned around.

"Wanda...," he warned, "put it back."

She slightly shook her head. "I'm sorry. I can't."

Sam lowered his brows, looking more than disappointed. Meanwhile, Steve hadn't moved. He was known to be a very heavy sleeper.

"Wanda, I'm not going to ask again. _Put it back_."

"I'm sorry, Sam," was all she said in return. She hated that she had to do it like this. These were her friends, her family. She didn't want to betray them. But she also couldn't stand back while her last chance to happiness was taken away.

Before the Falcon could utter another word, Wanda thrust her free hand forward, taking a hold of him. Red energy enclosed her friend in a relentless grip. He struggled against it, but it was no good. She was stronger than him. Especially now, with the Mind Stone at her disposal.

"_Sleep_," she said in a commanding tone with her eyes flashing red. It had been a long time since she had used the mind controlling aspects of her powers. And it had been for a good reason. She felt disgusted and embarrassed for herself when Sam sunk back onto the couch. Although he was still asleep, she did the same to Steve. Just in case. She didn't want them to follow her.

And then, with the Mind Stone in tow, Wanda went to resurrect Vision.

* * *

**AN: **_Thank you all for the positive feedback, I really appreciate it! I hadn't actually planned to possibly include a Vision resurrection attempt in this story, but when one of you mentioned how the Mind Stone could be a big temptation for Wanda, I just couldn't help but include this in the story line. But don't worry: They're still going back in time to return the stones. Question is: Are they gonna return **all** of them? You'll have to wait and see. ;)_


End file.
